Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Paul Theroux

Quote by Paul Theroux

“Politics is a hideous subject, but I will say this: people tell you that dictatorships are sometimes necessary to good order, and that this sort of highly centralized government is stable and dependable. But this is seldom so. It is nearly always bureaucratic and crooked, unstable, fickle, and barbarous; and it excites those same qualities in those it governs.”

Quote by Paul Theroux

Book:The Old Patagonian Express: By Train Through the Americas
Create image

Work

The Old Patagonian Express: By Train Through the Americas

This book offers a vivid account of a train journey through the Americas, exploring the landscapes, cultures, and experiences encountered along the way. more

Author

Paul Theroux
Paul Theroux

Paul Theroux, born on April 10, 1941, is a renowned film writer from the United States. Theroux is known for his distinctive style of storytelling, which often delves into profound life philosophies and social issues. more

You May Also Like

“No democratic government should ever assume that arguments for democracy or for the rule of law are somehow obvious or self-evident. Authoritarian narratives are designed to undermine the innate appeal of those ideas, to characterize dictatorship as stable and democracy as chaotic. Democratic media, civic organizations, and politicians need to argue back and make the case for transparency, accountability, and liberty--at home and around the world.”

DemocracyChaosAccountabilityStabilityTransparencyRule Of LawAuthoritarianismGovernmentsDictatorshipsDemocratic Governments
Book:Autocracy, Inc.
Create image

“That unique Moscow mix of tackiness and menace. One time I see a poster advertising a new property development that captures the tone nicely. Got up in the style of Nazi propaganda, it shows two Germanic-looking youths against a glorious alpine mountain over the slogan "Life is Getting Better". It would be wrong to say the ad is humorous, but it's not quite serious either. It's sort of both. It's saying this is the society we live in (a dictatorship), but we're just playing at it (we can make jokes about it), but playing in a serious way (we're making money playing it and won't let anyone subvert its rules).”

PoliticsRussiaPropagandaTotalitarianismDictatorships
Book:Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia
Create image

“Imagine you’re diagnosed with epilepsy: what would you think if you weren’t referred to a specialist but taken to a psychiatrist to treat you for your ‘false illness beliefs’? This is what happens to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) patients in the UK. They are told to ignore their symptoms, view themselves as healthy, and increase their exercise. The NHS guidelines amalgamate ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, assuming symptoms are caused by deconditioning and ‘exercise phobia’. Sufferers are offered Graded Exercise to increase fitness, and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to rid them of their ‘false illness beliefs’.”

PrejudiceStigmaChronic Fatigue SyndromeMyalgic EncephalomyelitisChronic FatigueFalse AssumptionsChronic Illness StigmaFalse BeliefsMedical MalpracticeIllness StigmaGraded ExerciseUnethical Treatment
Author:Tanya Marlow
Create image

“In this world, the thing people fear the most, and what pains people the most— is giving more than they receive. God forbid I cut off more of my fingernail for you than you cut from your fingernail, for me! Heaven forbid I hold my breath in longer while thinking about you, than the amount of time your breath is held in for me! Not a second longer! It is sad fact of the human nature that there you stand as an Infinite Soul and yet your greatest fear is not receiving from another person in proportion to what you give. Your viewpoint is low, your vision is clouded. You have become, in your eyes, a funny little drawing on the paper pad of the universe. Indeed, this race is yet to evolve. And yet, I am surrounded by such fear, to such a great extent that I begin to fear the same!”

Inspirational QuotesWisdom QuotesInspirational LivingGiving And ReceivingBiggest Fear Of MankindFreedom From SelfishnessInfinite SoulInfinite SourceThe Fear Of Being ShortchangedThe Fears Of MankindTo Be Free From These FearsWake Up Mankind
Author:C. JoyBell C.
Create image